A Breath Taken
by MrsVakarian
Summary: A 3 part One-shot. Shepard makes it out of it alive after defeating the Repears (DESTROY ENDING). How will she spend her days now that she and everyone else is free from the Repear threat? Garrus/Femshep
1. Chapter 1

My 3 part one-shot; Mostly written to to help soothe me after beating the trilogy; But I do hope you all enjoy!

All respects to Bioware-

As she lay there in the rubble, camouflaged within the debris, a breath was taken. Like the breath of a new born infant this breath by the battered Commander Stephany Shepard was a breath that would mark the beginning of a new life. Though she was barely alive she could feel every inch of pain and discomfort within her body, there was a buzzing in her head and a wet warm fluid spilling from her left ear where noise was now absent. She attempted to shift her position to one more comfortable until help would find her but with doing so she discovered that her back ached and burned with the heat of the greatest suns. It was then where Shepard began to pray to every god or goddess she could remember and stay still in hopes that someone would find her fast.

Garrus leaned against the console in the main battery, staring down at the panel. It had now been three days since the Normandy took off from the ever so green garden planet they managed to land on after escaping the beam emitted through the mass relays, to destroy the reapers and all synthetic life. They have been on route to Earth and were now approaching in the next 12 hours. The fellow crew of the Normandy would often come into the main battery in which Garrus hardly ever left now a days.

"Garrus are you alright? I brought you some rations from the fridge if you're hungry", came a voice from behind him, it was Tali-Zorah.

"No, Just ate. Was just thinking…"

"About Steph?" asked Tali already knowing the answer

"Always am, I've never felt the Normandy move so slow in my life. I mean she could be buried alive for all we know by know!" exclaimed Garrus slamming his talons on the panel. The screen flickered.

"Garrus, relax. Admiral Hackett has just sent a team to search for her. Where'd all that hope go from a few days ago?"

"It's still there….I'm just a bit…nervous. We're almost there Tali..." Garrus leaned over the panel once more before releasing a deep breath.

"Yes we are."

Shepard awoke feeling the warmth of a mattress under her back and the sound of beeping and people talking frantically around her. She could feel the mattress swiftly maneuvering around the cold building which she would assume to be a hospital.

"Stephany Shepard, found at exactly 3:27am last night, legs under debris and scrap metal, upper body free. 4 ribs broken, spinal disk dislocation, both her legs broken below knee. Second degree burns from the chest to mid thighs. Left Broken arm and seems to be bleeding and loss of hearing in left ear as well. Both eyes swollen shut. Reports buzzing in head, suspect to be her synthetic implants having difficulties. The Patient is being placed in Intensive care unit for immediate surgery, High priority." Yelled one nurse to someone, Shepard not being able to see could not tell who she was directing that to, but the nurse did answer all of her questions without her having to part her dry bloody lips to ask.

"Admiral Hackett this is the Normandy. Requesting permission to dock and any news on the Commander" Joker spoke almost frantically into the comm. Every last member of the crew was standing behind him from where he sat in the cockpit. Since the defeat of the reapers Joker had lost Edi and though he still cracked the same jokes to lighten the mood, especially for Garrus you can tell there was a dark cloud of depression looming over his head.

"Normandy, permission granted. Also good news, the Commander was found not too long ago, She took a hell of a punch but is alive and if my intel is right she's in surgery right now at the Isley Jennings Hospital south of London."

Garrus' face lit up. She was alive. Every one rejoiced within the Normandy, Liara broke down crying of joy and Tali jumped up and down at the news. The rest of the crew cheered as Garrus just stood there in shock. Joker noticed and turned his chair towards him, "We got her back for you, buddy." With a grin he turned his chair back to face the panel and proceeded to land the Normandy.

"Ahem, Steph I don't know how to say this but I love- No that's stupid. Stephany I want to spend the rest of my days- No, not good enough…"

Stephany Shepard heard her boyfriend Garrus' ramblings from where she lay in her hospital bed. It had been now 2 days since her surgery and she's been asleep through most of it. To finally wake up feeling somewhat better and to hear her lover's voice, she almost thought she had to be dreaming, but then she remembered in dreams you can't feel pain and her lower back was killing her.

"Urg, Garrus?" spoke shepard, opening her eyes to see her Garrus holding her right hand as he sat next to her by her bed.

"Stephany, you're awake!" Was all he could manage to say before gently leaning in and placing his forehead to hers.

"I missed you so much" Garrus sofly ran a finger through her curly blonde hair.

"Garrus, I'm alive here today for you." Managed Stephany before the painkillers put her right back to sleep


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2 of my 3 part one-shot, A Breath Taken. Enjoy!

All respects to Bioware.

Stephany Shepard had now been in the hospital for two months now, needless to say during the passing of those two months, Garrus had not left her side. Since Stephany had her own private room in the hospital they even rolled in a spare hospital bed for Garrus to sleep in since they knew he wasn't leaving until she was completely clear. Stephany very often got visitors, from her crew back in the Normandy and even from civilians who were passing by and wanted to share how thankful they were of her and wish her to get well soon. Her mother even came to visit and Garrus finally got the chance to meet her. It went well, Stephany had spoken a lot about Garrus in her letters to her mother so it saved for a lot of awkwardness had she not, and they both received her blessings. It was now morning and Shepard was woken up by someone placing a warm tray on her lap.

"Hmph" mumbled Shepard, rubbing her eyes.

"Did I wake you? I'm sorry love just setting down your breakfast. You can go back to sleep now", Said Garrus before planting a kiss on her forehead.

Stephany smiled "No, babe. Its fine, I'm up. Good morning". She ran her smoothening hand down the turian's scarred side of his face. He smiled at her and sat on the edge of her bed, turning on the television to the morning news. There were reports on the rebuilding what was lost during the war, most of the mass relays were repaired already and scientist managed to get most synthetic health devices working again. This explained how Shepard was recovering so well and quickly, however she did permanently lose 70% of hearing in her left ear. There was also a report on when the council dubbed the creation of any synthetic life form a crime against the galaxy.

Garrus munched on whatever dextro food the nurse had brought him, he seemed extra happy today.

"Whatchu so up about this morning?" asked Stephany with a smirk and a mouthful of cereal.

"Just wait." He replied not taking his eyes from the screen, so Stephany did just that. About 10 minutes later Al-Jalani appeared to be outside the hospital with a grin on the news channel.

"Good morning, Khalisah Al-Jalani outside the Isley Jennings hospital in the south of London, where THE commander Shepard is recovering from saving the galaxy from the repear threat!"

"Oh god." Laughed Shepard as she heard the cheering from outside and within the hospital

"We are here today on the request of her boyfriend, Garrus Vakarian, one of the original crew members of the Normandy, one of the many saviors of the galaxy!"

Another burst of cheers erupted. "Okay she's overdoing it now" proclaimed Garrus covering his face in embarrassment.

"Garrus?" asked Shepard cautiously with a smile, "Why is Al-Jalani and her crew on their way up to our room?"

"Just wait" replied Garrus fixing himself up and in the process smoothening out Stephany's curls and moving the tray of food out of the way

"WE ARE HERE LIVE WITH COMMANDER SHEPARD AND GARRUS VAKARIAN!" excitedly announced Al-Jalani with a huge smile. She came over and shook both of their hands "Before we continue I'd like to speak on behalf of the galaxy and thank you both for your services in stopping the repears"

"It was all in a day's work" laughed Shepard a little nervous from what was going to happen. Garrus winked at her.

"Well, let us get down to business. Garrus is there something you'd like to ask the Commander?" cooed Al-Jalani. You could hear wolf calls from down the hall and even outside.

"Why yes, there is." Garrus moved to the side of the bed where Shepard sat in and kneeled on one knee. He then removed a crimson velvet box from his pocket.

"Stephany Shepard, you are the best thing that's ever happened to me. You bring true happiness into my life like no other and I love you immensely for it. I've never felt so undeniably in love for anyone in my life. Stephany there is no Vakarian without Shepard, Will you marry me?"

Shepard had tears covering her cheeks and both her hands pressed against her heart, she was in a loss for words. There was so much she wanted to say and express but the fast beating in her chest couldn't allow it. So all she managed to get out was "Yes Yes Yes!" before wrapping her arms around his neck crying in happiness.

Garrus slipped on the ring finally after the many kisses and embraces while the galaxy watched on and cheered. It was truly what they both deserved.


End file.
